The Recovery Stratagem
by Charlottinaa
Summary: Priya moves back to India. Where does this leave Penny and her feelings towards Leonard. Has the Raj incident ruined everything? ONESHOT


Penny had been avoiding Leonard since Priya had gone back to India. Yes, she still loves him but she doesn't want to be taken advantage of and just become another rebound victim. She needed to know that Leonard still loved her before she could get into anything with Leonard. She hurt Leonard last time and although she knows that she deserves it she doesn't want to be punished even more by being hurt by Leonard.

It had been a long time since Penny had been with anyone apart from Raj which was a big mistake. She had been on a few dates whilst Leonard was with Priya. It's probably safe to say that Amy has had more action than her over the past couple of months. She just couldn't get over Leonard and all that she threw away when she dumped him. She didn't want to get over him. Breaking up with him was the biggest mistake of her life. He was the funniest and smartest guy that she had ever been with, he respected her. God, even her father approved of him and she threw it all away.

She had spent all the time since Priya had gone back to India avoiding Leonard and trying to find out from Sheldon how he was taking the split. However, this was made difficult by the fact that Sheldon isn't the smartest tool in the shed when it comes to social interactions. She has also been avoiding Raj not that she thought he would cause any problems since he still had trouble talking to her and other women. She just didn't want Leonard to get the wrong end of the stick. She was worried that Leonard would completely get over her or stop loving her after seeing her with Raj.

Bernadette didn't have that much time to spend with Penny helping her through her dilemma as she was busy planning her wedding. Howard had proposed to her not too long ago and was eager to marry her before she has chance to change her mind. Penny still couldn't understand what Bernadette sees in Howard but that's love for you, it's not meant to be understandable. So, that didn't leave her with many people to talk to about her predicament. She guessed she has Amy Farrah Fowler and Sheldon to help her. One is her bestie and the other Leonards closest friend. Both of them science nerds and not the most understanding of social protocol though admittedly both had improved leaps and bounds since she met them. Amy was the most understanding and seemed to have good intentions and a desire to help her bestie.

She had done well to avoid both Raj and Leonard so far but she knew that she would run into them sooner or later and it obviously had been weird not hanging out at the guys' apartment for the past couple of weeks. She decided now was the time that she needed to het try get as much information about the situation as he could out of Sheldon and she hoped that Amy would help with this. Even if she just translated from American to Sheldish It would be very helpful when talking to Sheldon.

Sheldon and Amy came round to Penny's as she had offered to cook spaghetti bolognaise with the little hot dogs cut up in it, Sheldon's favourite. When, they arrived they told her all about the 'interesting' things that had been happening at the university. She wasn't at all interested as most of the things that they discussed she didn't even understand. Nevertheless, Penny listened politely to all that they had to say. All the while her mind was elsewhere and she couldn't stop staring at the snowflake that Leonard got her from the North Pole that she had out on the side. She thought that she had put it away but then she remembered tha she hadn't been able to bring herself to get rid of it or even put it away, out of sight, out of mind.

Obviously, Sheldon noticed her staring straight away. 'Penny I can't help but noticing that you are not paying attention to my explanation of how string theory can be applied to everyday life', stated Sheldon seemingly offended, 'What are you staring at?' Penny who was a million miles away in dreamland quickly replied, 'Nothing'.  
>'Now, Penny I am sure you recall the conversation that we had about this on may 16th, although it is statistically and theoretically possible it is highly improbable that you should be staring at nothing', replied Sheldon pedantically, 'next time you decide that my paradigm shifting research isn't worth listening to at least take that time to come up with a decent excuse'.<br>'Alright Sheldon whatever I'm sorry', replied Penny with a hint of anger.  
>'Yes Sheldon I think you are getting away from the point', input Amy, 'so, bestie what were you staring at?'<br>'Noth... ', started Penny walking over to the snowflake, 'Sorry, I was looking at this'.

'Ah, I remember this', said Sheldon taking the snowflake from Penny. 'One thing that I can say to Leonard's credit is that he understands romance', commented Sheldon astonished.  
>'This is the most romantic ting that anyone has ever given me and done for me', exclaimed Penny reluctantly, 'How is Leonard holding up?'<br>'Not brilliantly Penny, he needs you, we need you', confessed Sheldon. Penny could see the loss in his eyes she realised that she must have upset everything that he was used to. She remembered him saying how much he had worked to include Penny in his circle of close friends and a treasured acquaintance. 'Penny, his sleep is disturbed and when he eventually does sleep he mentions you', revealed Sheldon, 'He hasn't forgotten you.'  
>'It's time', agreed Amy, 'He obviously still loves you and if you return the sentiment then you will have to do something before your chance is gone for good.'<p>

_It's just not that simple_ thought Penny. Yes, she loved Leonard but she didn't want either of them to get hurt. It was getting late well, for Amy and Sheldon who announced it was time to leave. They both said their goodbyes and said that they were there for her if she needed it. She then thanked them for the help and company. Then, they left. She decided to that this opportunity to do her laundry. She found her clothes and took them down, Preoccupied with what Amy and Sheldon had said to her about Leonard. Penny, now in the laundry room, was thinking aloud, _what if he still loves Priya and what if what happened with Raj has put him off for a life time. _

Leonard enters silently after listening at the door. He has performed this ritual every time he used the laundry room since Priya had returned to India. He was just as scared of running into Penny as she was of running into him. He has missed her so much over the past few weeks. They had been unbearable without her presence. He couldn't bring himself to go see her. He thought that he could see the signs that she still loved him but he didn't want to take it granted and make a fool of himself again. So, he had been avoiding her since the Raj incident. He wasn't angry at her, just upset. He was however, angry with Raj and their friendship had been terminated. But listening to the door to Penny worrying about how she would react to his presence made him forget all this. After hearing her worries, he did what seemed to be the most natural thing to him. He strode in there and quietly said, 'it hasn't'. In that moment he wasn't some super nerdy asking the hot girl out of his league out, he was just a man standing in front of a woman asking her to love him.

-The end-


End file.
